Iris' Den
History of the German Shepherd
Graphic providied by Babycass's Den
Horand von Grafrath: The first German Shepherd
The GSD has only been seen for about a hundred years. In 1899 Captain Max von Stephanitz, and some friends of his, developed the German Shepherd club called the SV. That club is still around today.
Horand von Grafrath (pictured above), a German Shepherd look alike, was the first dog that looked like a German Shepherd. It is said that Max von Stephanitz bred Horand with other dogs to make the German Shepherd a true breed.
If you look at some old pictures of GSD�s they do look a little different. If you look at a "German" German Shepherd today and a "American" German Shepherd today they look considerably different. There colors are the same but the shape their body is totally different.
What did Stephanitz use to develop the German Shepherd? Probably some sheepdogs, not any special breed. All Stephanitz wanted was a sheepdog who would not only herd the sheep, but protect them and the shepherd. He got that alright!
But, after Stephanitz developed the breed, sheepherding went down alot. People discovered fences, and the amount of sheep-owners just went down alot. So people didn't really want a sheepdog anymore. But German police forces came in to basically, save the breed. They started using them as police dogs.
Stephanitz started out wanting a really good sheepdog, but it turned out he developed one of the most versatile breeds.
German Shepherd Timeline
1891: Pylax Society Formed.
1899: SV Formed First Siegerschau held.
1906: First GSD believed to have set paw upon North American shores.
1907: First German Shepherd shown in America.
1908: First German Shepherd registered with the AKC.
1913: German Shepherd Dog Club of America (GSDCA) founded. Shortly thereafter, first Champions (Herta von Ehrangrund and a dog named Lux) gained their titles.
1914: German Shepherds served in WWI.
1915: First GSDCA show.
1918: First National specialty held.
1921: Strongheart became star of motion pictures, followed by Rin-Tin-Tin.
1923: Shepherd Dog Club of New England founded, publishing the "Shepherd Dog Review".
1925: Titles Grand Victor and Grand Victrix first established as the title for the winners of the GSDCA National.
1929: Seeing Eye, Inc., founded.
1931: Officially named the German Shepherd Dog.
